Santa and Jesus
by HolyKnightHamster
Summary: My Christ vs. Santa fanfic. Imagine a world with Santa and Christ living in more modern times.
1. Chapter 1

CH1

The thin girl of 17 tried to wedge herself deeper into the small dark closet she hid in. She held her breath, closed her eyes and willed her three pursuers outside to leave her alone. Then she pushed harder towards the back wall of the closet.

"go away." She whispered again and again.

"Young master?" A familiar voice called.

Mary opened her eyes in surprise. She had forgotten that her guardian, Gabrielle was coming to drive Mary and her husband to the airport to go their honeymoon.

"Joseph…" Mary whimpered as she put her hands to her mouth smearing blood on her face.

Mary burst out of the closet to try and warn Gabrielle before the men would kill her too.

She saw Gabrielle standing at the end of the hallway.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle!" May shouted as she ran towards her guardian.

Gabrielle dashed down the hall with amazing speed and embraced Mary.

"Young master? What's going on?" Gabrielle asked as she looked at her young charge.

"Joseph is dead" Mary wailed.

All of a sudden, Mary spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. She yelped as Gabrielle tossed her to the side and turned to face the attacker.

Effortlessly, Gabrielle dodged the man's knife, kneed him in the gut and flipped him to the ground.

"Who might you be?" Gabrielle casually asked as she stepped on the man's wrist, easily taking the knife out of his hand.

The man answered in a angry raspy language that Gabrielle didn't recognize, but she understood it's meaning well enough. She stomped on the man's arm again and silenced his scream with a kick to the face.

Gabrielle turned as she heard Mary squeal. Another of the attackers had grabbed Mary from behind.

The man rapidly barked some more of the same foreign language, pointing his knife at Gabrielle then back at Mary's throat.

Gabrielle saw the fear in Mary's eyes fade into something else.

"Mary, don't move, just don't do anything." Gabrielle slowly told her.

"No wait…" Gabrielle didn't finish saying before Mary acted.

A quick back fist into the man's groin freed Mary from the man's grasp.

Mary ran towards her guardian but suddenly she fell and her back felt like it was on fire as the man slashed his knife down.

The man raised his knife again, his head exploded as Gabrielle fired her "Morning Son", a 500 Smith and Wesson Magnum, twice.

"Young Master, are you alright?" Gabrielle asked as she holstered Morning Son.

Mary grimaced but nodded as Gabrielle quickly treated the wound.

"That was very rash of you. The cut isn't too deep but it will scar." Gabrielle admonished her and put her leather jacket around the young girl's shoulders.

"Wait. Wait, there were three." Mary said and suddenly they heard glass breaking in a far room.

"Can you walk?" Gabrielle asked and Mary nodded again, no way she was getting left back.

"Stay behind me." Gabrielle warned although Mary was already clinging to the back of Gabrielle's shirt.

They slowly walked to the room where they heard the noise.

The window was broken and the man escaped.

"He's gone. Let's report this to your parents. They'll know how to handle this." Gabrielle assured Mary.

Unexpectedly, the man who was disarmed previously ran into the room with another knife.

Mary yelped and threw Gabrielle's jacket at him. It draped over his face and he ran blindly as Gabrielle spun around him, stopping with Morning Son raised. Three deafening shots sent the man out the broken window.

Nine months later, Mary gave birth to her first child, Jesus, in a family safe house in Bethlehem.


	2. Chapter 2

CH2

"Mother. I have finished my homework. Would you like to check it?" The little boy, Jesus, asked.

"Sounds good. Go brush your teeth and I'll read you a story after." Mary smiled affectionately at her son.

"Yes mam. Come along Tanya." Jesus grabbed his little sister's hand.

The small girl followed her brother adoringly wherever he went. Jesus was always good natured about it and made sure to include her in any games him and his friends played.

"Madam Christ." A voice that was masculine and effeminate, young but mature, outside her door interrupted Mary's thoughts.

"Proceed." She commanded.

"The grounds are secure. Personnel, weapons and equipment are fully capable."

"Well done. Anything else?"

"No Madam."

"Dismissed." Mary said but she already knew the mysterious being had left.

When she had first been moved to the Nazareth house ten years ago with the baby Jesus, she had been tempted to go against orders and open the door to see the messenger but a unexplainable fear kept her from it, even now.

-

During lunch the next morning in class, while Jesus was sharing his five loaves and two fish with kids who forgot their lunches at home, the teacher made an announcement.

"Attention all! We have a new friend who will be with us starting today."

The children all turned and looked at the front of the classroom where the teacher was standing with a slightly chubby kid.

"You name give please." The teacher said to the boy in a foreign language.

The boy smiled and laughed loudly.

"Hello everyone! My name is Christopher Santa Kringle! Nice to meet you all! Ho Ho Ho!"

Half of the class was stunned, the other half burst out laughing and it took the teacher a few minutes to regain order.

"Yes. Sit down there." The annoyed teacher pointed to a seat by the window.

-

Despite the warm introduction, most of the children ignored the blue eyed, blonde haired boy the rest of the day.

Santa grabbed his school bag and started to leave school.

"So much for first impressions." He mumbled to himself.

"No! I must be more positive! Tomorrow, tomorrow I will make a friend, yes!" He pumped his fist in the air.

Santa almost fell forward as he was pushed.

"Hey tubby! What are you doing?" Some kids had gathered behind him.

"Who cares? Go back to where you came from, you fat fuck!" another kid kneed him in the stomach.

"Ow…" Santa fell to his knees.

"We don't like weirdoes here." One of the kids pushed him down with his foot.

After a few seconds, the punches and kicks outnumbered the insults. Santa covered his head and tried to protect his body.

"Stop that right now." The soft voice carried a strength that froze the bullies.

They turned to look at the little boy Jesus who glared at them.

"Get away from him."

"What? Look at this little…" One of the boys stepped forward but was stopped by another boy who shook his head.

"Let's go. He's not worth it." The boys walked away without touching the whimpering boy again.

"Are you alright?" Jesus put his hand on Santa's shoulder. Santa cringed but relaxed enough to let Jesus help him up.

"I'll walk you home." Jesus said as he had Santa lean on him.

"No need. My ride is here." Santa responded through his busted lip.

"Master Kringle! What in the world?" A large man ran up to the two.

To Jesus' amazement, the man lifted Santa with one arm.

He pushed Jesus back with the other arm and started to walk away.

"Hey! My name is Jesus! I'll see you in school tomorrow!"

Santa smiled, though it hurt.

"OK! My name is…"

"… Christopher Santa Kringle! Ho Ho Ho!" Jesus finished for the boy as he waved.


	3. Chapter 3

CH 3

"Children, remind your parents about the upcoming parent-teacher meetings this week." The teacher said as he ended another school day.

The children all stood as the teacher made preparations to leave.

"Dismissed." The teacher waved and the classroom erupted with activity.

Santa quickly gathered up his books and walked towards the door. However, Jesus called out to him and Santa turned with a guilty look.

"You didn't forget that we have classroom cleanup today, right?" Jesus asked.

"Uh… oh yeah!" Santa chuckled.

Jesus grinned, "Come on. The broom is this way."

-

"Did you see those shooting stars last night?" Jesus asked as he and Santa left the school.

"Yeah! That was cool! My dad let me watch them through his telescope." Santa responded pointing to the sky.

"Really? Wow, they must have looked really awesome!" Jesus looked where Santa pointed.

"Yup, why don't you come by and I'll show you the telescope."

"Um… can't, have to pick up my sister right now." Jesus shook his head.

"Bring her along!" Santa patted Jesus on the shoulder.

"Well… I guess."

"Let's go!" Santa started marching like a soldier.

"Santa, my sister's school is this way." Jesus pointed.

-

"Tanya. This is my friend, Santa." Jesus introduced.

Tanya hid behind Jesus as the loud, strange boy laughed.

"Hi Tanya! Nice to meet you." Santa winked and smiled.

"Big brother. He's scary." Tanya whispered as she hid her face into Jesus' back.

"It's alright Tanya. He's a good person." Jesus turned and put a hand on her head.

"If you say so." Tanya glanced at Santa and quickly looked down again.

"I am going to call home. Tanya, stay here ok?" Jesus said.

"But… I… ok… be back soon." Tanya seemed to shrink a little more.

Jesus looked at Santa who gave him a shrug and pointed to the pay phones with his thumb.

-

"I'll make sure to call again when we're leaving. No, don't worry, we won't be too late." Jesus said as he finished the call.

As Jesus walked back he heard a wonderful sound, Tanya's laughter. With curiosity, he walked back faster and saw that Tanya was chasing bubbles floating in the air with a small plastic net.

Santa waved and blew some more soap bubbles.

"Hey, what's going on?" Jesus asked with a smile.

"Here 'Big Brother', you blow some." Santa passed the dish of soapy water.

They sat at the playground in front of Tanya's school and watched Tanya chase the rainbow colored floating orbs.

"Everything cool at home?" Santa asked, blowing a long stream into the air.

Santa watched as the bubbles fell slowly over his sister. "Yeah. I just had to tell someone in my home where we were going. My mother, she worries sometimes; except for the servants, it's just us three."

"Oh? Where's your dad?" Santa asked as he slowly tried to blow a large bubble.

"… He's dead." Jesus replied after a few seconds.

The semi-formed bubble shrunk as Santa stopped. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's alright, he died long ago, before I was born."

"I see." Santa said.

"Well, we should get going." Jesus said as he stood up and brushed off the grass from his clothes. He called out to Tanya, who ran up breathless. Santa poured the bubble solution into the grass and got up too.

-

"I'm home!" Santa called as he entered the front door of his home.

"Come on in guys." Santa waved.

"Thank you." Jesus said as he led Tanya by the hand.

"Our house is prettier." Tanya suddenly said.

"Tanya!" As Jesus turned to apologize to Santa, he was interrupted by a big man dressed completely in red. His pants, jacket, hat and even parts of his face was red.

"Ho ho ho! Welcome home Christopher! Are these young people friends of yours?" The man slapped Santa on the back.

"Guys, this is my dad." Santa rolled his eyes.

"Welcome welcome, please come in!" The man's face continually got redder as he laughed.

"My name is Jesus, I go to school with your son, sir."

"…" Tanya quietly stared at Santa's father with big eyes.

"Tanya?" Jesus asked worriedly.

Tanya tilted her head to the side then suddenly ran up and tackled Santa's father's leg.

"Teddy!" she shrieked.

"Ah… Tanya!" Jesus exclaimed.

"Don't worry. It happens all the time. Little kids do that for some reason when they see my dad." Santa explained.

"Oh… kay…" Jesus said, he walked over and tried to pry the little girl off Santa's father's leg.

"HO HO HO! She got me!" Santa's father laughed as he lightheartedly shook his leg.

Tanya giggled and yelled "Teddy!" again, clutching tighter.

"Come on, she probably won't let go for a while." Santa tapped Jesus on the shoulder.

"Dad, I'm gonna show Jesus the telescope. Is it alright if we leave his sister with you?"

"Sure. I'll take her to the kitchen, I think I smell your mom baking some cookies." Santa's father said as he half-walked, half-dragged away.

"Whee!" Tanya giggled.

-

"It's in here." Santa led Jesus to a room full of books.

"Wow. Did you read all these books?" Jesus asked in amazement.

"What? No way! I don't really like reading; books, essays, lists. They all make me sleepy. The telescope is outside."

Santa showed Jesus how to focus the view and pointed, "there, our school is right there."

"I see. Hey, I see our principal leaving. Hi Mister Joel!" Jesus pretended to wave. "Now, if our school is over there then our house is… Oh!" Jesus moved the telescope then suddenly gasped.

"What? What is it?"

"I could have sworn I saw somebody fly off the roof of my home." Jesus said.

"A bird?" Santa asked.

"No, bigger… a person?"

"What? Stop kidding me, people don't just fly around."

"Yeah… you're right." Jesus said, he gave the telescope back to Santa, who scanned the sky for flying men. They heard heavy boots coming up the stairs and tinkering glasses.

"Hey boys? How are things going, see anything interesting?" Santa's father walked into the room carrying a tray with two glasses of milk. Tanya followed behind with some cookies on a plate and one in her mouth. The two boys looked at each other.

"Nope. Nothing, we didn't see nothing." Santa quickly said as he got up to grab the drinks from his father. Jesus put out his hands to receive the plate of cookies.

"Thank you, Tanya. You're a good girl." Jesus said.

She smiled, causing the cookie in her mouth to drop onto the plate.

"AH! That is so disgusting!" Santa said as they all laughed. Jesus picked up the cookie with two fingers and gave it back to his sister, who chewed on it again. Santa's father pulled a book from the nearest shelf.

"Remember this one, Christopher?" he showed Santa.

"That's the… happy little forest fairy?" Santa squinted at the leather bound cover.

"This is your favorite story, right? You begged me to read it to you every night." Santa's father chuckled.

Silence. Then Santa protested "That was when I was like five!"

"Ho ho ho, well I wonder who would enjoy hearing this tale, hmm?" He winked.

"Me me!" Tanya tugged on his jacket and raised her hand.

"You? That's good. Shall we get some more cookies and milk?"

Tanya's nodded so violently she almost fell backwards. After the two left, the boys sat silently watching the evening shadows in the streets heading home.

"Your dad is pretty cool." Jesus said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. He's the best. Your sister is really fun too. I wish I had a brother or sister."

"She's adopted." Jesus said although the question wasn't asked. "Well, not that it matters, she's my sister." He quickly added. They sat silently for a while longer.

"It's starting to get dark, we should probably head home." Jesus said.

"Hmm… I'll ask someone to give you guys a ride." Santa gathered up the empty glasses and plate.

"Nah, it'll be fine."

"I'll ask my guardian to walk with us then." Santa offered without actually offering.

-

He followed Santa to the room where his sister was sleeping while Santa's father read to her from the book.

"Can I use your phone?" Jesus whispered.

Santa nodded and pointed to a wall. Jesus dialed his home number.

"Hello? Ms. Gabrielle? It's me, Jesus. Tanya and I are coming home right now. No, we don't need one. Yes, it will be fine. Okay, see you soon." Jesus finished and turned around. He yelped as he almost collided with the big man he saw with Santa the other day. "Uh, pleased to meet you. I'm Santa's friend." He quickly explained.

"What are you doing?" Santa asked as he walked up. "Oh, Frosty. Did you meet Jesus? That's his sister over there."

Frosty slightly bowed his head and walked away.

"He's kind of scary." Jesus said in a hushed tone.

"You're telling me." Santa whispered back.

-

Frosty loomed over them as they walked, his eyes scanning side to side. Jesus and Santa were silent and the only noise was the wind when it blew softly through the trees and Tanya's soft snoring while she slept on Jesus' back. The walk was shorter than Jesus had thought as they stood in front of his home.

"It's not that much prettier." Santa tilted his head. Suddenly Tanya mumbled in her sleep and her arms around Jesus' neck tightened.

Jesus tottered a step. "I better get her inside."

"Yeah, I guess I'll head back too."

"Take care on the way back. Thank you, Mr. Frosty." Jesus shifted his sister and slightly bowed. He put his hand to open his front gate but turned around again, "Hey, why don't you come by some time? We'll hang out."

Santa smiled and gave him a thumbs up sign.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

"I think it's time Tanya learned about her past." Mary said to the other person in the room. The person sat silently as Mary continued. "I would like to hear your opinion on this. She is your…"

"I agree, however I believe I should tell her." The other person interrupted.

* * *

As Private First Class David huddled with the group of other soldiers in the cold dawn, he watched his breath form in the crisp air and wondered again how the desert could be so cold. Suddenly the shout of "Squad Attention!" interrupted David's thoughts. He jumped to his feet and stood straight. The squad leader saluted the approaching man. 

"On the command of fall out, I want everyone to gather around me. Fall out." The man, Colonel Saul, said. When everyone had circled around him, he continued, "Listen up troops, this is a very important mission today. According to our information, the leader of insurgents and two of his top chiefs are going to be at the 'marketplace' today. We have been tasked to capture them. Your squad leader should have told you the details and how we are going to do this so this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Any questions on this mission?" The troops responded "No sir!" Colonel Saul said "Alright, fall in." and the troops scrambled to ordered ranks. The squad leader saluted the Colonel again and he walked away.

-

An hour later, the sun had begun to rise and the troops were in position for the mission. David sat on the top of a two story building. At one time, it might have been a designer clothing store or maybe a school but the previous regime had crushed such things, considering them "unnecessary" and "outsider corruption". His mind wandered to his daughter at home, far away from this place, and he smiled as he thought about what she could be doing at that moment. Her mother was probably tucking her into her crib. His thoughts were interrupted again as the other person on the roof with him poked him.

"Hey what cha tinkin bout?" the soldier, Sergeant Ruth asked. "Nothing, Sergeant." He responded as he peeked over the edge of the roof to the building across the dirt road where the mission was to take place. "Come on, don't be like that." Ruth prodded, "is it about home?" David turned back to her. "How did you…" Ruth waved a hand, "I think about home a lot too. Man, if I were home right now, I would be probably be in bed with my fiancée…" She blushed as she realized what she said. She picked up a five round magazine and fiddled with it, David turned back to "Chereb", his Remington Model 700 Sendero SF II sniper rifle. The silence was disturbed by the radio on the ground. "Magus two-zero, this is Magus one-one, what is your status?" Ruth responded "Magus one-one, this is Magus two-zero, we are amber and ready." "Roger, stand by for further instructions, out." The radio went quiet again.

After a half hour, they heard another message over the radio. "All units, this is Magus one-one, we have visual confirmation of the target headed in our direction. Respond is sequence." Ruth called in her call sign when prompted.

"Ready?" She asked David. "No." David smirked, trying to ease some of the tension. "Well there soldier, you best get your head out of your fourth point of contact and get ready, hoobah?" Ruth imitated their squad leader. "Hoobah." David answered in mock defeat. David laid prone behind Chereb and Ruth picked up her binoculars.

"Sergeant Ruth, see anything?" David asked.

"Yup, here they come."

David peeked through his scope and saw the long procession of vehicles. "Third? No, maybe fourth vehicle." He thought to himself as they vehicles stopped in front of the building across the street. A group of 20 men got out of the vehicles and David couldn't make out which one was the leader. Half of the men went into the building leaving the rest outside as guards. They had been briefed that more guards were probably standing by in that area. David realized he had been holding his breath, "Anything?" he whispered to Ruth. "No. Hold on." Ruth responded as she listened to the radio on her headset.

As David scanned the men outside, Ruth said "Magus one-one says that they are ready, pick off the guy at the entrance. That'll be their sign."

"I see him. Tell him I'm ready too."

"Go." Ruth whispered.

Chereb roared as the man was thrown backwards by the impact of the round, dead before his body hit against the door. A wall of bullets from his other fellow soldiers quickly took down the remaining guards. David watched as a group of soldiers crept towards the building in a tight formation. David and Ruth scanned for an enemy counterattack. The group quickly searched for any survivors and got on one side of the door. With a signal, one of the soldiers placed a ram against it, broke it down and spun to the other side of the doorway. Another threw a grenade into the open doorway which went off with a loud bang and light. With amazing speed the rest of the soldiers entered the room. David could hear the gunfight inside but it only lasted a few minutes. David continued scanning the area until Ruth said "they've got them, they're coming out." David smiled as he watched the soldiers who went in all come out with four men with hoods on their heads. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion as more vehicles and gunfire seemed to come from all directions. Ruth picked out targets and David fired round after round at the ambush. Soon Ruth had stopped pointing out targets and had picked up her assault rifle to engage the enemy also. Although David had watched hundreds of movies where the hero's bullets never ran out, he never thought it possible. How long had they been fighting? An hour? Two hours? David dared not look at his watch as he scanned for where the next attackers were going to appear. Suddenly Ruth dove on top of David. David exhaled violently as the breath was knocked out of him. "Sergeant?" he asked before she yelled "Shut up and stay down!" Her scent mixed with sweat and gun smoke filled his senses and he struggled for air. He managed to peek through his sight again and saw a Rocket Propelled Grenade being raised in his direction. "RPG!" he shouted before Ruth pushed his head into the ground, chipping his front teeth and David swore he heard the cement crack. Then everything went black.

David woke up and saw stars in the dark sky. "Night? Is it night already?" He thought to himself. Then he heard the gunfire. "Are they still fighting?" He realized he was still lying on his front and tried to stand up, but his arms wouldn't respond. He lifted his face from a puddle of sticky liquid and looked around but couldn't see anything in the pitch black. "Hello? Anyone? Help me!" he called out.

"David? Are you alright, Private?" Sergeant Ruth called out.

"Sergeant? I think my arm is broken, but I'm okay. Where are you?"

"Here, I'm right here." Ruth said.

"I can't see you, shine your light."

David was scared as she didn't respond.

"Sergeant Ruth?" he asked and tried to lift himself up again.

Suddenly her voice was right next to his.

"Private, I need you to listen to me real carefully. The fighting is over, just stay still and I'll have someone get us. Don't move at all. Just be quiet and wait." She leaned against him.

"Sergeant? Won't the enemy see the flare?"

"Private, shut up. I'm going to put this bandage around your head." Ruth's voice seemed to be softer and he felt movement next to him.

David felt something covering his eyes and nose and he struggled but without his arms, he couldn't take it off.

"Stay there." He heard Ruth order him.

David listened with confusion as Sergeant Ruth picked up the radio and requested a medical evacuation at a location twenty feet from the building where they had their position.

When Sergeant Ruth finished the transmission, she leaned against him again "Hey Private, you did really well."

David nodded, although he realized she wouldn't be able to see it in the dark, the stars were fading. Although he could still hear gunfire, it started to fade too. As he slowly fell unconscious again, he heard Ruth whisper "Boaz. I'm sorry. I'm not going to make it home. I just wished I could see you one last… time."

Three days later, David was told that Sergeant Ruth had died in the 'marketplace' from massive hemorrhaging. His tears mixed with blood from his sightless eyes.

-

"Private David, it's me again, Doctor Zion." David felt a hand on his shoulder. "Tomorrow's the big day huh?"

David nodded slowly.

"Don't worry, it's just light surgery. Nothing to be scared of." The doctor said. David knew that he was lying. He didn't need to see, to realize why his arm had to be amputated the first day in the hospital, and despite the medication, he could still feel the embedded shrapnel in his body. "It'll be alright." The doctor patted him on the shoulder again.

-

Although he wasn't provided dinner, David wasn't hungry that night. He couldn't fall asleep as the image of his dead friends and waiting family appeared in his mind. He laid on his bed and listened to the snores of the soldiers sharing the room with him. Every once in a while, a soldier would start crying or shout out in fear as they recollected in nightmares the events which sent them to this hospital. David flipped over and cursed his hot pillow, throwing it to the ground.

"My my. That's no way to treat hospital equipment." A voice that seemed familiar to David chided.

David pretended to snore.

The person chuckled as she pulled up a chair next to David's bed. David frowned, he was certain visiting hours were over some time ago. Maybe he had fallen asleep and it was the dreaded morning already! David sat up slowly with help from the automated bed.

"Is it time?" David asked hesitantly.

"Time?" The voice asked with a hint of amusement.

"For my… operation." David whispered the last word.

"Operation?"

David suddenly felt very annoyed with the strange visitor.

"Look, is it time for me to get cut open or what?" David lashed out.

"Relax, it's only one-thirty." The voice said calmly.

"Oh. Are you part of the night staff?" David asked, embarrassed.

"Yes, I guess you could say that."

"Guess?" David asked confused.

"Never mind that. How are you feeling?"

"Good. A little nervous I guess. Ha ha."

"Want to talk about it?"

David sat quietly and the visitor did the same.

"You still there?" David asked

"Yes." The one word answer game again.

"Fine. I'll talk, you'll get out of here and let me get some rest, right?"

David started to tell the visitor about his surgery in the morning but it led to how he got injured and continued backwards until he was telling her about his family too. He thought he heard the scratching of pen on paper and pages being turned, but he didn't think anyone could be writing in the dark.

"My little baby girl, Tanya, she's the light of my life." David sighed. Although the visitor had listened quietly, he heard her gasp suddenly.

"You alright?" David asked.

"Ye… yes." The visitor said with a waver in her voice.

"So yeah, that's it. Talk done, will you go now?" David asked though he said it with little motivation.

David felt a soft hand on his head, but he didn't flinch from it. As the hand stroked his hair, he began to feel drowsy. The sounds of the visitor leaving were faint and the images he saw were sharper and pleasant. He dreamt of his wife welcoming him home, Sergeant Ruth giving him another stern lecture and his baby girl saying her first words.

"Sleep well, papa." He thought he heard her say.

* * *

Tanya was bolted to her seat in Mary's study as she listened to the story. Jesus too was mesmerized as he stood beside Tanya, holding her hand. Ms. Gabrielle had wept as she told the story. 

"David was my younger brother and your father." She told Tanya.

Tanya looked at the letter in her hand again.

"So… this is from my Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes."

Tanya frowned and looked down, then up at Ms. Gabrielle. "Momma?"

She smiled sadly and shook her head. "Your mother, she had to go away. But if it's alright with you, I could…" she couldn't finish as she raised a tissue to her mouth..

Mary placed a hand on Tanya's shoulder. "What she means is that we are your family. I know it's hard to understand but honey, know that we all love you very much, okay?"

Tanya looked at the three other people in the room; Ms. Gabrielle, Mary and Jesus.

"Okay." She whispered.

* * *

_Dedicated to all my brothers who died on Christmas day defending the freedoms of our Iraqi brethren._


End file.
